Single incision robotic colorectal surgery: History, indications, and techniques for success with single incision colectomy

Colorectal surgery has made significant strides in the past decade progressing from laparoscopy to robotics and from multiple to single-port implementations. In selected demographics, single incision robotic colectomy (SIRC) can be an effective tool in providing an oncologic resection with excellent cosmesis. We reviewed the current state of single incision robotic colorectal surgery incorporating our institutions retrospective database for single incision robotic surgery from 2010 to 2014 to assess the viability of SIRC. Our analysis indicates that SIRC is appropriate for right, left, and sigmoid colon resections in individuals with BMI <30 regardless of age and ASA. However, we do not believe that single incision robotic surgery is mature enough for low anterior rectal surgery given the efficacy and excellent safety profile of multi-port robotic low anterior resections.